Well-sinking apparatus.



J. T. REA. WELL SINKING APPARATUS.A APPLICATION FILED Nov. 18, 190s.

952,636. Patented Manzz, 1910.

511mm for atm ws JOHN Y PROSPECTING COMPANY, OF

rr srrs narrar rauen.

T. REA, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 STANDARD WELL DRILLING &

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION.

WELL-SINKING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mai'. 22, gi.

Application led November 18, 1908. Serial No. 463,295.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN T. REA, a citizen of'y thc United States of America, and a resident of 'the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and Y useful Improvements in Yell-.Sinking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus of theabove type and aims primarily to provide an apparatus through the medium of which wells caribe sunk in an eflicient manner and with rapidity, thereby adapting the invention also for use in prospecting.v

An essential object of my invention resides in providing a structure in which air is extracted from the rising column of eX- cavated material prior to the discharge of the latter into the settling chamber, thereby enabling a substantial vacuum being maintained in said chamber.

Other objects will be set forth as the description progresses and those features of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts, in which my invention re'- sides, succinctly dened in my annexed claims.

Referring now to the accompanyin drawing wherein my invention in such orm as now preferred by me, is illustrated: Figure 1 isV a vertical sectional View showing my apparatus in operation. Fi 2 is an end elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 1s a detail sectional view, on enlarged scale, illustrating more particularly my guard means which prevents the excavated material being drawn with the air through the branch pipev or conduit.

In carrying out my invention I provide a sinking or drill tube 41 through which the excavating material is carried with water to the settling chamber 2, the water being supplied into the well 3 about tube 1 by a pipe fl which is connected with a pump 5, preferably of the double acting type.

Reference numeral 6 indicates a pipe leading into settling chamber 2 and communicating with the inlet ports of pump 5 whereby upon operation of the pump suction will be created in chamber 2 to main= tain a vacuum therein and to eect the removal of water when it rises above the level indicated in Fig. 1.

Reference numeral 7 indicates a flexible connection between tube 1 and chamber 2,

y any desired manner.

the same establishing communication therebetween while permitting of proper manipulation of tube 1 during the process of sinking the well, and the addition of lengths or sections to tube 1, as is well understood.

In the present invention I aim to free the rising-column of water andexcavating Inaterial of any air that might be contained therein, prior 'to the discharge of said column into chamber 2, thereby enabling Vme to maintain amore perfect vacuum in chamber 2 which obviously greatly facilitates the work. The means now employed by me for effecting this aim includes means for producing suction in the flexible connection-7,

said connection being vented as at 8, With which vent a branch pipe 9- of relatively small cross sectional area cammunicates. (See Fig. 3.) Pipe 9 leads to a Jvacuum chamber 10, in which suction is created in A simple arrangement consists in connecting said chamber 10 by a pipe, as 11, with the suction i-pe 6 of the pump. In the present emb iment of my invention, chamber 10 is arranged on and secured to the upper.end portion of the settling chamber 2 and forms a closure therefor. This construction, however, can obviously be changed and likewise a pump of other suitable construction can be readily substituted for that shown.

` KYWhen desired, material can be discharged from chamber 2 through the gate 12.

Chamber 2 is supported in any desired manner as for example on a stand 13, the same also conveniently providing a support for a tank 14 in which pump 5 is submerged. Reference numeral 15 indicates a guard swingingly supported beneath vent 8, as shown, so as to prevent dirt or other foreign mattei' traveling through conduit 9.

Chamber 10 b reason of guard 15, receives nothing but air and water. The coarse material goes to settling chamber `2. By having the coarse material forwarded to chamber 2, wherein suction iscreated, although such suction be great, only a partial vacuum is secured, owing to the air that is thrown off from the material itself as it disintegrates. While it might appear that air would equalize in the two chambers, yet it must be remembered, first, that the air rising in the main suction pipe will seek its first release, which is through pipe 9 to the upper chamber, while the material owing to vso the guard 15 passes on into chamber 2, carrying the air that is present in the dense material, and second, that the suction in chamber 2 is such that the air instead of pressing back to equalize the upper chamber through branch pipe 9, finds a readier means of escape by way of the pump, and for that reason does not tend to equalize the upper chamber but leaves it free to act by itself, thus sustaining the vacuum pressure of that chamber independently of the lower chamber.

The term drill tube 7 as herein used is intended to cover aV tube of any desired form or type which can be employed inoonjunction with the remainder of the apparatus to provide a passage-way for material drawn or sucked through the lower end portion thereof.

My apparatus while being particularly adapted for sinking wells will operate in an eflcient manner in submarine dredging.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a closed settling chamber, a drill tube, means establishing communication between said settling chamber and said drill tube, a pump connected with said settling chamber to create suction therein, and means communicating with said first means exteriorly of said settling chamber for conducting air therefrom.

2. Inan apparatus of the character described, a settling chamber, a drill tube, means connecting said drill tube for communication with said settling chamber, and means for creating suction in said first means to effect the removal of air from the material prior to the delivery of the latter into said settling chamber.

3. An apparatusof the character described vcomprising a closed settling chamber, a drill tube in communication. therewith, means for creating suction in said settling chamber, whereby material loosened by said drill "tube will be drawn thereinto, and means for e'ecting the removal of air from the column of material thus drawn upwardly prior to its discharge into said settling chamber.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising av closed settling chamber, a drill tube, means establishing communication between said settling chamberand said drill tube, a pump connected with said settling chamber to create suction therein, and a vacuum means communicating with said first means between said drill tube and said settling chamber. l v

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a settling chamber, a drill tube, a pipe leading from said drill tube to said settling chamber, and pumping means connected for creating suction in said chamber and directly in said pipe intermediate said drill tube and the point of discharge into said chamber.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a settling chamber, a second chamber, a drill tube, means leading from said drill tube and establishing communication with both of said chambers, and means for creating suctionin'both of said chambers. p

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a settling chamber, a second chamber, a drill tube, means leading from said drill munication with both of said chambers, a guard arranged to prevent dirt entering said second named chamber, and means for creating suction in both of said chambers.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising a settling chamber, a second chamber, a drill tube, a pipe leading from said drill tube to said settling chamber, a branch pipe leading from said rst named pipe to said second named chamber,

vmeans for creating suction in both of said chambers, and means for conveying water for discharge into the well outside of said drill tube.

`9. An apparatus of the character described comprising a settling chamber, means for creating suction therein, a tube th-rough which the material is drawn, said tube being connected to said chamber, 'and means arranged to create suction in the material drawn upwardl to relieve the same of air prior to the disc arge of said material intosaid settling chamber.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 7th day'of November 1908.

JOHN T. REA.l Witnesses: i

FRANK E. ADAMS, JAMES A. Lewis.

tube and establishing com- 

